What Do The Numbers On Your Nespresso Pods Really Mean?

The last thing most people want to think about in the morning before a cup of coffee is numbers, but it turns out you actually should be paying attention to those little ones stamped on your Nespresso pods. You see, those numbers are surprisingly important if you want to brew the perfect cup of coffee curated to your individual tastes.

The numbers define the intensity of the coffee you can expect to get from a Nespresso pod. This is determined by the concentration of coffee in a pod, how it is roasted, how bitter it is, and its body. However, all of these qualities are linked together. For example, how coffee is roasted will impact its body and bitterness. Light roasts are the least bitter and have little body, while dark roasts are the most bitter and full-bodied. In this context, body means the richness of the coffee or how full it feels in your mouth. Body is created by insoluble things like oils in coffee that are released as the coffee is brewed. The roasting process can increase the amount of insoluble substances that are released. As a side note, make sure to regularly clean your Nespresso machine, as a build-up of oils can cause coffee to taste off over time.

The numbers on Nespresso pods range from 1 to 13, with lower numbers (1-5) comprising light roasts with the lowest amount of intensity. Middle levels (6-8) are a medium roast with a fuller body and more intense flavor. At the end of the spectrum (9-13), you have the most intense and bitter flavors. However, more intense doesn't mean more caffeine. The only things that influence caffeine content are the coffee bean type, the brew time, and the amount of coffee.  

The great thing about the numbers on Nespresso pods is that they make it easy to select types you'll enjoy most based on how you like your coffee. However, this depends on whether you use the Original Nespresso or the Vertuo Nespresso. The former is designed for espresso, which is different than coffee, so it brews cups ranging from 0.85 ounces to 5 ounces. Meanwhile, the Vertuo can brew 1.35 ounces to 18 ounces to, catering to both coffee and espresso lovers. When picking out pods, note that each machine's pods aren't interchangeable as Vertuo ones are larger and shaped differently than the Original ones. 

In terms of caffeine, Vertuo pods have 170 to 200 milligrams per cup, while Original pods have 50 to 100 milligrams. That said, there are some exceptions, such as the Original Kazaar, a level 12 intensity blend that boasts 120 milligrams per cup. Likewise, the Vertuo Diavolitto, a level 11 blend, has 150 milligrams of caffeine. If high caffeine content is important to you, Vertuo pods are recommended. 

With that in mind, when picking out the best Nespresso pods for your tastes, consider how intense you want the flavor to be and use the numbers as a guide. You can also use Nespresso's Coffee Profiler, which takes into consideration how adventurous your palate is, how strong you prefer your coffee, the types of coffee you like best, and your favorite flavors. This quiz will recommend several pods based on your answers and provide a recommended intensity range. That, along with this Nespresso hack for better coffee, will allow you to easily pin down the best pods for your perfect cup of joe.